Description:

Franklin Benjamin 1706 - 1790 One of only two known postmaster's appointments signed by Benjamin Franklin, our first Postmaster General, and John Foxcroft as Deputy Postmaster for the British dominions in North America.

Partly-printed Document Signed, "B Franklin," as Co-Deputy Postmaster for North America, and "John Foxcroft,", as Co-Deputy Postmaster for North America, 1 page, 14.5" x 9", [Philadelphia], January 10, 1764. Moderate toning, expected folds with minor separations reinforced on verso, very tiny loss to text expertly in-filled, else very good.

The document reads, in full: " BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, and JOHN FOXCROFT, Esquires, Post-Masters General of all His Majesty's Provinces and Dominions on the Continent of NORTH-AMERICA. TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come, sends Greeting: KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Franklin and John FoxcroftŠ—” , having received good Testimony of the Fidelity and Loyalty to His Majesty, of Abraham Hunt, of Trenton, in New Jersey Gent. and reposing great Trust and Confidence in the Knowledge, Care and Ability of the said Abraham Hunt, to execute the Office and Duties required of a Deputy Post-Master, have Deputed, Constituted, Authorized and Appointed, and by these Present do Depute, Constitute, Authorize and Appoint the said Abraham Hunt to be our lawful and sufficient Deputy, to Execute the Office of Deputy Post-Master at Trenton, in New-Jersey, aforesaid to have, hold, use exercise and enjoy the said Office, with all and every the Rights, Privileges, Benefits and Advantages, to the same belonging, from the - - - Day of the Date hire of, Inst. for the Term of three Years, unless sooner removed by us, under such Conditions, Covenants, Provisoes [sic], Payments, Orders and Instructions, to be faithfully observed, performed and done, by the said Deputy, and Servants, as he or they shall, from Time to Time, receive from Us, or by our Order. In Witness whereof, We, the said Benjamin Franklin, and John Foxcroft, have hereunto set our Hands, and cause the Seal of our Office to be affixed: Dated the Tenth Day of January, 1764, in the Fourth --- Year of HIS MAJESTY'S Reign."

Extremely Rare. We have sourced only one other example of this type of appointment sold at auction the past five decades: a 1758 appointment of Abraham Woodward for Marblehead, Massachusetts (Charles Hamilton, March 25, 1971, lot 48).

The appointee, Abraham Hunt (1741-1821), was the principal merchant of Trenton and a firm supporter of American independence, joining the New Jersey Committee of Correspondence in 1774 and in the following year became lieutenant colonel in the county militia. When Washington's army recreated across the Delaware River in December 1776, Hunt chose to remain in Trenton. On Christmas Night, 1776, Hunt was hosted a holiday party with Hessian Colonel Rall as one of his guests. Although some would criticize Hunt's propriety for hosting a hostile officer at his home, the move proved extremely helpful to George Washington's forces who were secretly crossing the Delaware that same evening preparing a surprise attack on Trenton the next morning. Rall enjoyed good deal of liquor during the evening, so much so, that when a Tory spy came to him with intelligence of Washington's intentions, the German officer chose to ignore it. The next morning, Rall and his men, hung-over from their Christmas merry-making were caught completely unprepared for Washington's two-pronged assault. Rall was mortally wounded in the battle, while most of his men were captured. The victory at Trenton, together with the subsequent battle at Princeton, was a significant turning post that did much to boosted American morale and continue the struggle for independence.

Provenance. Theodore Sheldon, an attorney and early member of the Collector's Club of Chicago. This first originally appeared in a philatelic auction estimated at $46,000 - 57,500 (inclusive of commission) in 2015.

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